The present invention relates generally to a balancing board apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to a snowboard simulator balancing board apparatus for closely simulating the act of snowboarding on dry land.
In the field of balancing boards, it has been well known to employ a board member or platform with a roller member thereunder. The user of the apparatus stands on the platform, with feet apart, with the roller member positioned between the platform and the ground. The platform is often elongated and in a rectangular shape with rounded ends. In these prior art apparatuses, the roller is placed underneath the board so that it's central axis is perpendicular to the longitudinal length of the board. In operation, the user places the platform on the roller and then stands on the platform with his or her feet being in a line which is substantially parallel to the longitudinal length of the platform. The roller is then positioned below the platform with its central axis perpendicular to the line between the user's feet. As a result, the roller is positioned substantially between the user's feet. To use the balancing board, the user rocks his or her body left to right to rock side-to-side on the roller in a see-saw-type fashion.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,190,506, issued to Zubik et al., incorporated herein by reference, discloses a balancing board having a longitudinal deck which engages a roller assembly to achieve a rocking see-saw action. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 4,505,477, incorporated herein by reference, discloses a balancing board having a platform to which a pair of parallel tracks are mounted to the lower surface. A set of wheels are mounted to a common shaft and are biased toward the center of the tracks by springs. The set of wheels roll freely along the length of the platform to permit the balancing board to achieve a rocking side-to-side motion. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 5,152,691, incorporated herein by reference, discloses a snowboard simulator balance apparatus with a board and cylindrical roller. The board includes a ridge for engaging with a notch in the roller to center the roller and guide it back and forth along the length of the board.
The prior art balancing boards have made attempts to improve the tracking and retention of a roller along its travel over the length of a balancing board. Various apparatuses have been attempted to achieve an improved fluid roll of a platform on a roller to further enhance performance. In addition, attempts have been made to ensure that the roller remains centered along the length of the board. However, each of these apparatuses in the prior art disclose and further enhance the experience of a rocking side-to-side see-saw motion which is distinctly different than the motion actually experienced during snowboarding on real snow. In particular, prior art balancing board apparatuses fail to closely simulate the experience and motion of real snowboarding.
Due to the demand for a snowboard simulator which can closely simulate snowboarding on real snow, it is desirable for a simulator apparatus to mimic and simulate the actual movement and experience of real snowboarding. It is also desirable to have a snowboard simulator apparatus which can simulate as many different types of maneuvers and tricks which can be executed on a real snowboard on actual snow.